Sanitation!!

[Angileen]

The DE is to help with mites/lice. I’ve never seen them but if I understand correctly DE can help with that. It also seems to help dry up the poop imo. The herbs may be just for me, but the girls seem to like them too. I don’t think they do harm and they may help in some small way with keeping flies and other critters away.

We save the bedding for compost for our garden.

The coop is 8x8x10. It has a sealed wood floor, a full size storm door on the south side, floor to ceiling roost bars on the west side, and three nesting boxes on the north side. To add to the overkill, it is painted and decorated. It has chicken related paintings on the walls, coordinating fabric curtains on the windows, and matching bows over the nest boxes. We have eight chickens.

Yes, I see the eye rolls. I know the girls don’t care, but I do. I spend a lot of time in and around my home. I like nice things. It may be silly, but it makes me smile and it doesn’t harm the girls.

No eyes rolling here. Would love to see pictures of your coop. I just converted a corrugated metal shed with a cement floor into a coop. It's 15x25 feet. Had to add 2 chicken doors 3 windows a new garage door for easy clean out, a human walk in door, roosts, 8 nest boxes and a small room area covered with wire and a door just in case I want to separate some chickens. I don't think there is anything wrong with adding herbs to your bedding. I buy Power Hen for my chickens water, I also plant a herb garden, pumpkins and corn for my chickens, they get the cucumbers out of my garden that get too large, I also have picked them alfalfa and dandelion greens, I buy watermelon and cantaloupe for them in the store, they also get meal worms on occasion and I always look for special treats for them on sale at Tractor Supply. I also have a small plastic pool I have inside their coop that I use for their indoor dust bath and I also add food grade DE to it. I also add it to their chicken feed once a month to act as a dewormer. My chickens eat heathier than I do. No spoiled or old food and no leftovers of my supper time meals. I don't want them eating too much salt or fat. I only clean my coop once a month and use straw on the floor and wood pet bedding in the nest boxes. I have only had my chickens for 17 weeks so I have not gone through a winter with them yet. But I may try the deep litter method this winter. Yes I wash my hands when I come in the house after handling my chickens but I don't really worry about germs that much, I have snuggled with my chickens and have wiped my hands on my face after cleaning the coop and have never gotten sick. Some germs are good they make you stronger, I never use antibacterial soap. I do clean out my chicken waters once a month with bleach, they don't get that dirty because I change the water every day. If I see algae I will wipe it off. Someday I may add window boxes on the outside and plant flowers in them. Next year I am going to plant a lot of marigolds, I here they help make the egg yolks a deep yellow color. Nothing wrong with loving your chickens!

I wash my waterer once a week with Dr Bronners soap and the feeder with every new bag of feed. I sterilize each about monthly with PureGreen24. In the summer, I sprinkle Sweet PDZ on the floor of my coop and clean it out daily. In the winter I do the deep litter method with pine shavings for added insulation and heat. Twice a year, when I switch bedding types, I vacuum and wash the inside of the coop with Dr Bronners. We put a floor in my run because we had standing water in the Spring. This year, for the warmer months, I put sand on the floor, and would sift out the poops a few times a week. I don’t like it and plan to try something else next Spring. It was smelly every time it got wet which tells me bacteria is living in it. In the winter, I have plastic panels around my run and once those are up, I use pine shavings in there as well. I’ve never had any illnesses or smells except with the sand this year. I think cleanliness is important, but they do need some bacteria to build up good immune systems. I just don’t let it get ahead of me or become an overwhelming breeding ground of bad bacteria.

We have a kiddie pool for their dust bath, and they have a garden with marigolds, lavender, spearmint, veggies, and about half a dozen herbs in it for them. If they eat something down too much I replant or replace it.
They also have a mirror which they love to look in, a xylophone to peck on, and a playground area. We took a wooden table frame (no top) and piled logs and branches around it. They can run in, around and under it or they can roost on the different levels. Sometimes I hide treats for them to find in the playground. They love it.

I have a large fenced in run with flight netting on top. I don't let my chickens free range. We have way too many predators. Eagles that are always flying over, hawks, owls, coyote, dogs, racoons, and occasionally wolves. I did build them a chicken tunnel to run and play in and have perches here and there, I have to get me a xylophone, that sounds like fun! I want to build a kind of jungle gym for them next year, I also want to add some chicken swings, suet feeders with greens and hang some cd's for them to entertain themselves with.

 

[Jamited]

My four bantams are in a 12 x 6 run which was newly laid to grass three months ago. Unfortunately they ate the grass quicker than it could grow so now we are almost back to bare earth. However, I've always swept their poop with a rubber dustpan and brush as I don't like to have it on my shoes (which I never wear in the house!). I'm aware they get poop on their feet from time to time, but it doesn't seem to stick. I provide a tray of fresh veggies every day and they get in and scratch in it so it's good their feet aren't filthy. They have a dirt bath and I remove the poop from that daily and turn over the dirt with a rake. In the coop and nest boxes I use Auboise which is chopped hemp. It has no smell or residue and the poop sits on top so is easily removed daily. I always wear garden gloves unless I'm stroking the chickens and still wash my hands afterwards. once a month I remove all the bedding and wash down the coop with Jeyes fluid and replace with new bedding. I'm terrified of them getting red mites.I've never had to wash my eggs as it's not been necessary and I don't refrigerate them either. They don't last long enough! I'm still fairly new to keeping chickens but I know that no creature likes to live in its own filth and in the wild they wouldn't confine themselves to one area so it makes sense to keep them clean and it's more sensible for me too. It's so interesting to see what other people do and what you use. We don't really have too many places where you can buy stuff for the chicks and I get most of it on line. I've heard that wood shavings are very good to use but it's difficult to buy them here. What I use already suits us though

 

[Ladies-Eight]

No eyes rolling here. Would love to see pictures of your coop. I just converted a corrugated metal shed with a cement floor into a coop. It's 15x25 feet. Had to add 2 chicken doors 3 windows a new garage door for easy clean out, a human walk in door, roosts, 8 nest boxes and a small room area covered with wire and a door just in case I want to separate some chickens. I don't think there is anything wrong with adding herbs to your bedding. I buy Power Hen for my chickens water, I also plant a herb garden, pumpkins and corn for my chickens, they get the cucumbers out of my garden that get too large, I also have picked them alfalfa and dandelion greens, I buy watermelon and cantaloupe for them in the store, they also get meal worms on occasion and I always look for special treats for them on sale at Tractor Supply. I also have a small plastic pool I have inside their coop that I use for their indoor dust bath and I also add food grade DE to it. I also add it to their chicken feed once a month to act as a dewormer. My chickens eat heathier than I do. No spoiled or old food and no leftovers of my supper time meals. I don't want them eating too much salt or fat. I only clean my coop once a month and use straw on the floor and wood pet bedding in the nest boxes. I have only had my chickens for 17 weeks so I have not gone through a winter with them yet. But I may try the deep litter method this winter. Yes I wash my hands when I come in the house after handling my chickens but I don't really worry about germs that much, I have snuggled with my chickens and have wiped my hands on my face after cleaning the coop and have never gotten sick. Some germs are good they make you stronger, I never use antibacterial soap. I do clean out my chicken waters once a month with bleach, they don't get that dirty because I change the water every day. If I see algae I will wipe it off. Someday I may add window boxes on the outside and plant flowers in them. Next year I am going to plant a lot of marigolds, I here they help make the egg yolks a deep yellow color. Nothing wrong with loving your chickens!


I have a large fenced in run with flight netting on top. I don't let my chickens free range. We have way too many predators. Eagles that are always flying over, hawks, owls, coyote, dogs, racoons, and occasionally wolves. I did build them a chicken tunnel to run and play in and have perches here and there, I have to get me a xylophone, that sounds like fun! I want to build a kind of jungle gym for them next year, I also want to add some chicken swings, suet feeders with greens and hang some cd's for them to entertain themselves with.

It really sounds great. I am in the process of doing some of the same items in my chicken coop and run.

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

I deep clean my coop once a year. All bedding and nesting materials come out. It gets a wash with Dawn, then is treated with Virkon S before I apply whitewash.

I'm using deep litter on the floor between the deep cleanings and just add material as necessary. I use a poop board under the roost and a shop vac to dust about once a month.

People will do what works until it doesn't.

What a great idea to use a shop vac. My coops are all very dusty!!!

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

I just finished my coop today, I am curious to see how the sand will hold up. I laid down pavers, and then added 4 ~ 50 lb bags of sand. Im hoping by using a litter scoop it would be easy to clean. My coop has a full roof, and is under a car port, therefore i shouldnt have to deal with rain/mud etc. My girls are 6 weeks old almost completely feathered, except around there necks. So Im hoping to move them out of there brooder tomorrow, its just too cramped in there. I am dealing with the sand falling out of my run, any ideas on something i can use around the bottom to keep it in? Thank you,

I use river sand in my coops and it works well.

 

[SimplyLivinthatFarmLife]

I use river sand in my coops and it works well.

Oops I said I use river sand in my coops...not true...I use river sand in my runs and it works great. I either rake or scoop the poop. It dries quickly and there are no smells. I use pine shavings in my coops and typically clean them once or twice a year.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

No eyes rolling here. Would love to see pictures of your coop. I just converted a corrugated metal shed with a cement floor into a coop. It's 15x25 feet. Had to add 2 chicken doors 3 windows a new garage door for easy clean out, a human walk in door, roosts, 8 nest boxes and a small room area covered with wire and a door just in case I want to separate some chickens. I don't think there is anything wrong with adding herbs to your bedding. I buy Power Hen for my chickens water, I also plant a herb garden, pumpkins and corn for my chickens, they get the cucumbers out of my garden that get too large, I also have picked them alfalfa and dandelion greens, I buy watermelon and cantaloupe for them in the store, they also get meal worms on occasion and I always look for special treats for them on sale at Tractor Supply. I also have a small plastic pool I have inside their coop that I use for their indoor dust bath and I also add food grade DE to it. I also add it to their chicken feed once a month to act as a dewormer. My chickens eat heathier than I do. No spoiled or old food and no leftovers of my supper time meals. I don't want them eating too much salt or fat. I only clean my coop once a month and use straw on the floor and wood pet bedding in the nest boxes. I have only had my chickens for 17 weeks so I have not gone through a winter with them yet. But I may try the deep litter method this winter. Yes I wash my hands when I come in the house after handling my chickens but I don't really worry about germs that much, I have snuggled with my chickens and have wiped my hands on my face after cleaning the coop and have never gotten sick. Some germs are good they make you stronger, I never use antibacterial soap. I do clean out my chicken waters once a month with bleach, they don't get that dirty because I change the water every day. If I see algae I will wipe it off. Someday I may add window boxes on the outside and plant flowers in them. Next year I am going to plant a lot of marigolds, I here they help make the egg yolks a deep yellow color. Nothing wrong with loving your chickens!


I have a large fenced in run with flight netting on top. I don't let my chickens free range. We have way too many predators. Eagles that are always flying over, hawks, owls, coyote, dogs, racoons, and occasionally wolves. I did build them a chicken tunnel to run and play in and have perches here and there, I have to get me a xylophone, that sounds like fun! I want to build a kind of jungle gym for them next year, I also want to add some chicken swings, suet feeders with greens and hang some cd's for them to entertain themselves with.

It really sounds great. I am in the process of doing some of the same items in my chicken coop and run.

My four bantams are in a 12 x 6 run which was newly laid to grass three months ago. Unfortunately they ate the grass quicker than it could grow so now we are almost back to bare earth. However, I've always swept their poop with a rubber dustpan and brush as I don't like to have it on my shoes (which I never wear in the house!). I'm aware they get poop on their feet from time to time, but it doesn't seem to stick. I provide a tray of fresh veggies every day and they get in and scratch in it so it's good their feet aren't filthy. They have a dirt bath and I remove the poop from that daily and turn over the dirt with a rake. In the coop and nest boxes I use Auboise which is chopped hemp. It has no smell or residue and the poop sits on top so is easily removed daily. I always wear garden gloves unless I'm stroking the chickens and still wash my hands afterwards. once a month I remove all the bedding and wash down the coop with Jeyes fluid and replace with new bedding. I'm terrified of them getting red mites.I've never had to wash my eggs as it's not been necessary and I don't refrigerate them either. They don't last long enough! I'm still fairly new to keeping chickens but I know that no creature likes to live in its own filth and in the wild they wouldn't confine themselves to one area so it makes sense to keep them clean and it's more sensible for me too. It's so interesting to see what other people do and what you use. We don't really have too many places where you can buy stuff for the chicks and I get most of it on line. I've heard that wood shavings are very good to use but it's difficult to buy them here. What I use already suits us though

Don't change it, if it works!